Housing Minister Stuart Andrew MP has today quit Boris Johnson’s Conservative government, taking the number of resignations to 18 at the time of writing. This mass resignation has come following the scandal involving Chris Pincher MP, which looks as though it could well threaten Johnson’s premiership.
Andrew, who has been in post for six months having replaced Pincher, described recent events as “indefensible”. He said in his letter to the Prime Minister:
“Given recent events, I have no other choice than to resign.
Our party, particularly our members and more importantly our great country, deserve better.”
It is with sadness that I am resigning as Housing Minister.
I pay tribute to all my ministerial colleagues, officials, and civil servants in the Department and the wider sector.
I look forward to continuing to serve my constituents in Pudsey, Horsforth, and Aireborough. pic.twitter.com/wTnrr9rcSu
— Stuart Andrew (@StuartAndrew) July 6, 2022
Stuart became MP for Pudsey, Horsforth and Aireborough in 2010. In the 2015 general election, Stuart was re-elected and took on the role of Parliamentary Private Secretary to Patrick McLoughlin MP. He was previously Treasurer of HM Household (Deputy Chief Whip) from February 2020 to February 2022.
It remains to be seen who will replace him within the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, commented:
“We have seen a succession of housing ministers. However, with Michael Gove retaining his position and providing strategic oversight, we wouldn’t expect to see any negative effects.
The market is a huge part of the economy and consistent leadership is vital. We need policies which allow for fluidity of movement, releasing more stock as well as empowering buyers at all stages of life. It is frustrating for relationship building to have changing ministers, though we work closely with civil servants who remain consistent and are ultimately the gate keepers in the machine.”
What has caused the scandal surrounding Chris Pincher?
Pincher was accused of groping two men at an event in London on 29th June and has since resigned. However, in the aftermath of this, a string of other allegations have emerged, with the Independent reporting a degree of “notoriety” among Conservative colleagues.
In 2017, Pincher quit the whips’ office after sexual assault allegations from Alex Story. Despite this, Boris Johnson brought him back into the government in 2019, making him housing minister, before making him deputy chief earlier this year. The Sunday Times report that during this period, a male Conservative reported further unwanted passes, and other Conservatives also raised concerns.
Johnson knew of this at the time, but failed to act on the allegations.
On 1st July 2022, Johnson’s government claimed that the Prime Minister was not in fact aware of the misconduct. On Monday, this stance changed: the PM now knew of the charges, but they were “either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint”.
This has since changed again, with the PM saying he did not immediately recall being briefed about the misconduct in 2019.
On Tuesday, the PM’s bluff was called by Simon McDonald, the most senior civil servant in the Foreign Office 2015-2020, who said the PM was indeed briefed about Pincher’s allegations. Writing in a letter to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, McDonald said:
“Mr Johnson was briefed in person about the initiation and outcome of the investigation. There was a ‘formal complaint.’ Allegations were ‘resolved’ only in the sense that the investigation was completed; Mr Pincher was not exonerated. To characterise the allegations as ‘unsubstantiated’ is therefore wrong.”
Johnson then apologised for the whole scandal on Tuesday, saying:
“I apologise to everybody who has been badly affected by it. I want to make it absolutely clear that there’s no place in this government for anybody who is predatory or who abuses their position of power.”
Who has quit the government following the scandal?
Sajid Javid, the Minister for Health & Social Care, wasted no time following Johnson’s apology. He resigned over the scandal, claiming that he “can no longer continue in good conscience”:
I have spoken to the Prime Minister to tender my resignation as Secretary of State for Health & Social Care.
It has been an enormous privilege to serve in this role, but I regret that I can no longer continue in good conscience. pic.twitter.com/d5RBFGPqXp
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) July 5, 2022
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak followed minutes later:
The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.
I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.
My letter to the Prime Minister below. pic.twitter.com/vZ1APB1ik1
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) July 5, 2022
Several other junior ministers and aides have also resigned, including Treasury Minister John Glen. Key appointments thus far include Nadhim Zahawi as Chancellor and Steve Barclay as Health Secretary.
